Photo gallery: Outrun 2Old game franchises never really die, although plenty of them fade into all but complete obscurity. For every multi-title generating Crash Bandicoot, there's an Aero The Acrobat hiding in the wings; for every Need For Speed there's a Pole Position, and for every Tekken there's a Double Dragon. Sega's Outrun had all but fallen into this category, and I'd pretty much forgotten what it was like to speed recklessly down the highway with only a lusty blonde for company until Outrun 2 landed on my desk.
Outrun 2 is a fine sequel -- well, actually, that's where I have to stop first. It's pretty rich for Sega to refer to what's in this game as Outrun 2, as there have been plenty of Outrun sequels. Heck, even looking at Sega's own 8-bit Master System console, you've got Outrun, Outrun 3D, Outrun Europa and Battle Outrun - not to mention Turbo Outrun. By any reasonable reckoning, this is at least Outrun 6, if not later. Then again, I'm just really showing my age here, as there's a really solid chance that a lot of the gamers who pick up this particular game won't have played any of the original games at all.
Until Outrun 2 landed, I would have sworn that they didn't make games like this at all any more. At its core, Outrun 2 is a pure and unapologetic arcade racer of the old school. It's been so long since I've played a game this simple at heart that I had to go back and dig out the original 8-bit Outrun (Sega Master System version) for comparative purposes.
Being an arcade title means that it's all about putting pedal to the metal, screaming around corners and more or less treating the button that handles the brake as something of an afterthought. In the game's main arcade mode, you're fighting against the clock, and it comes down to being as simple as getting to the next checkpoint before the time runs out. In classic style, there are five possible ending sections to aim for; while every race starts on the same stretch of track, you're presented with two directional choices that send you on to a further two choices -- and so on. Essentially put, left hand choices are easier than right hand ones, so if you only go left, you'll get the easiest possible ride, and if you only go right... well, it'll take you quite a bit longer to master the game.
So, for comparative purposes, I ran Outrun 2 (Xbox), up against its Master System namesake. In a solid nod to retro enthusiasts, all the classic tunes available in the Master System (and original arcade) are represented here -- and who could resist a bit of Magical Sound Shower? I certainly can't. Starting in arcade mode, I'm immediately struck by one thing, and it's how badly the 8-bit graphics have dated themselves. Then again, you didn't come here to read that, did you?
In a competitive field of racers -- titles like Burnout 3, Project Gotham Racing 2 and Rallisport Challenge 2, Outrun sits somewhere in the middle of the pack -- it's got some nice stretches of track, and a pretty long draw distance, but there's no damage modelling, the other vehicle models are relatively basic and even the drifting slides look a bit fake. That's not to say it's a visually bad title, though -- remember, it's only trying to be an arcade game, not a realistic driving simulator.
If Outrun 2 only offered arcade mode, it would stack up very poorly against every other racing title out there, and while fans of the arcade Outrun 2 machine will probably have a field day with this title, there's more to it than simple arcade skidding. The game's mission mode is where you'll unlock additional content -- from additional cars to classic music and quite a bit more. With 101 challenges to complete, it certainly offers a fair bit of longevity, although you may tire of doing the same repetitive actions over and over again.
Finally, Outrun 2 is Xbox Live compatible. Now, here, I've got something to admit to. Prior to playing Outrun 2 on Live, I figured there was no way that a simple arcade title could stand up to the existing pack of titles -- and I was wrong. Outrun 2's charm in online play is that it's so particularly arcade focused -- and that means it's simple to pick up and play, with up to eight players. The network code is pretty well optimised, and it's easy enough to race on even the shakiest connections. It's got to be said too, that there's little that can compare with handily beating a lobby room full of smack-talking American players to the finish line...
